


Sometimes It's Easier to Fall

by Rainddroop



Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, F/M, Fluff, Let's just say Harry never got shot and everyone lived, Mentions of other characters - Freeform, Mutual Pining, eventual smut...?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 09:41:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29451726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainddroop/pseuds/Rainddroop
Summary: You're a full-time Barista at Brown Cafe when Harry Hart stumbles in, hair ruffled and wet from the rain. He instantly reduces you to a stammering flustered mess. You try to keep yourself from falling for him but it's no use, you're done for. But does he feel the same?---A coffee shop AU
Relationships: Harry Hart | Galahad/Reader
Comments: 5
Kudos: 20





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually my first fic, so I'm open to any suggestions or critiques! Feel free to leave a comment or a kudos. :)) I'll try to post chapters weekly.
> 
> Slow burn-ish because Harry respects women too much to make the first move on them.

The rain was loudly pattering against Brown Cafe’s window, the street was mostly empty but you could occasionally see a few people hurriedly walking, umbrella in hand towards their destinations. You even saw a few poor souls braving the rain without one. 

As you stared out of the empty shop you briefly contemplated closing for the day, sure it was still 7:00 pm and you closed at 8:00 pm, but who would bother coming in during this ghastly weather? You glanced at the clouds looming in the sky, maybe there was a chance the rain might stop. But you assumed people would just want to hurry back to the warmth of their home. 

Normal rainy days in London were already horrid enough but the added cold of December made it exceedingly worse. This type of weather certainly darkened the mood of anyone who dealt with it. 

You prayed to God that some irritated customer would not dare to come barging in demanding some absurd order that you couldn’t possibly make. That had happened once, and let's just say it ended up with a beverage on the floor and Melissa yelling at you.

Shivering at the thought, you got up from your comfortable perch at the window (which you would rather stay in) and walked over to the counter. You grabbed a rag and started cleaning up. Even though there was no one in the shop, you worried someone would look inside and think you were slacking off. Well, to be fair, you kind of were.

There wasn’t much to clean up so you finished in just a few minutes. You sighed and leaned against the counter, wishing your best friend Andrew was here; he was also a Barista at the shop. At least you would have someone to talk to. 

You soon developed a deep interest in the food display. When you had evening shifts like these, you usually brought food home for dinner. Although it wasn’t the most ideal meal, because the shop only served small snacks, sandwiches and in the morning breakfast foods. You sighed, moving towards the kitchen. Maybe Henry had left some chips in the cupboard. 

But before you could reach the back door, the chiming of the bell suddenly filled the room, you jumped at the unexpected sound. You quickly scrambled to compose yourself in a presentable manner and rushed to the cash register preparing yourself to take an order. That’s when you were finally able to look up at the approaching customer, instantly becoming much more self-aware of your messy appearance. 

The customer in question was a tall dapper man, who was holding an umbrella and wearing a bespoke black suit that did an amazing job of complementing his slender form. His pants were not too fitting but they outlined his legs perfectly.

His brown hair was well kept, well it looked like it at least _used_ to be, it was now slightly damp and ruffled from the rain. Making him look… _hot_ you thought. And to tie it all together he was also wearing some fashionable black-rimmed glasses. _Jesus, he's good looking,_ you thought.

When he reached the counter he set his umbrella aside and gave you a friendly smile, revealing his dimples. Your poor heart skipped a beat. You instinctively glanced down at his hands. There wasn’t a ring.

You looked back up to him, usually, you would say something like, “Welcome to Brown Cafe, what would you like today?” Or just some simple “Good evening, what can I get for you?”

But nope none of that came out of your mouth you just stood there in awkward silence. _Shit shit shit shit shit,_ you thought, still staring up at him towering over you in awe. His cheeks were still a little rosy from the cold and that made him even _more_ attractive. 

He brought his hand up to clear his throat, “I believe this is when you're supposed to take my order correct?” 

The sound of his crisp accent brought you out of your trance. “Oh shi- sorry! I was just, uh.” 

_Staring at your gorgeous face._

“Spacing out?” He suggested. 

“Yes, exactly that. Sorry, I wasn’t expecting any customers due to the current weather.” You gestured at the window, trying to avoid any eye contact with his brown eyes. 

“Don’t apologize it’s quite alright,” he smiled reassuringly, “I wasn’t planning on coming in here, but it just looked so welcoming and a nice warm latte does sound very appealing.” 

You locked eyes for a moment and you could feel your heart beating just a tad bit faster. “So you would like a latte then sir?” 

“Yes please, and if you could kindly make the size medium in a cup to go.” He said, looking intently at the size chart. You nodded as you tapped away on the cash register, wondering why someone would want coffee at 7 pm. 

“That will be two pounds, sir.”

He placed 5 pounds on the counter, “Keep the change.” You felt the beginnings of a blush creep up your face. You wouldn’t have been so flustered if this man wasn’t so good looking.

As you inputted the cash in the register, you asked, “What might you be doing tonight that requires that much caffeine?” You tried not to wince at how flirty that sounded. 

“I need the energy for some late night work.” The taller man ran his hands through his hair, making a sad attempt to fix it.

A small laugh escaped your lips as you went to retrieve a cup, “Must be some pretty important work you need to tend to if you need this much caffeine. What do you do?” You hoped he wouldn’t think you were asking for too much information, you were just dying to know more about him.

“I’m a tailor.” He said, a tad bit too confidently.

 _What type of late-night work would a tailor have?_ You didn’t want to annoy him with more of your questions so you disregarded the thought. 

He didn’t seem to mind, “So what do you do?” 

You looked at him confused, “Uhm sir, as you can see I am currently asking for your order in a... coffee shop. 

‘Oh’ was his only reply, and you couldn’t help but laugh. And… _wait was he blushing?_ He looked away from your gaze to look at the menu above. _Oh my god, he is._

To avoid your fluttering heart, you put your attention back to the cup and pen you were holding. “So who am I making this for?” you asked. You didn’t necessarily need to write his name on the cup since there were no other customers but you really just wanted to know his name. 

“You can call me Harry. Harry Hart.” His gaze drifted back to you. 

You wrote his first name on the cup, deciding to put a little heart at the end because you couldn’t resist, he was so damn cute and his last name fitted perfectly.

“Alright Harry, your coffee will be ready soon.” You gave him a little smile and then went to prepare his drink. As you did so, Harry went to sit in the very chair you had sat in half an hour ago. 

_How peculiar it is to order a coffee to go but have it here._

As you made the drink your brain went haywire. _Fuck, please don’t catch feelings for Harry, please don’t do it y/n, please. He’s a customer for god’s sake. And he’s way older than you, he would never like you._

You looked over to Harry staring out the window, the rain had slowed down to a drizzle. _But he’s so hot, fuck. He also told me his last name and people don’t usually do that? Do they? Wait how do people introduce themselves again. And what if he was interested? No, it can’t be. Y/n pull yourself together you have just met this man._

Once you finished making the coffee (and fighting down the dirty thoughts that later surfaced) you tried to make your blush disappear through sheer willpower. This obviously was not that effective, but some of the blush luckily did subside.

You then brought the coffee over to where Harry was sitting. He looked up from his phone, which he was curiously furiously texting on a few moments before, and gave you a quick smile. _That damn smile,_ you thought.

“Here you go, Harry.” You said, placing the coffee onto the table.

But when you were about to let go, he had already moved to grab the warm drink, causing your hands to brush against each other for a few brief seconds. The contact made your skin tingle as you felt fresh warmth rush into your face. You quickly jerked your hand away to avoid further contact.

“Thank you y/n,” he said smiling, looking at your name tag. You saw him attentively look at his name on the cup. _Did I make him uncomfortable?_ You thought. 

  
But as if to reassure you, he took a sip from the cup and hummed, satisfied with his drink.

“Delicious, best latte I’ve ever had.” He smiled warmly. 

Your heart fluttered and your face became too hot to bear. You stood there for a moment in silence, staring adoringly into his brown eyes, and he dared to stare back. Your attention drifted north, as you watched his tongue slowly lick the coffee off of his lips. _Fuck._

Suddenly, you had the urgent need to leave the room, you tore your gaze away from him to instead focus on the far less attractive window.

“Thank you, I'm glad you like it and you’re very welcome, now will you excuse me.” You rushed to the bathroom trying not to run, you hated to leave Harry like this but you just couldn’t take it. A puzzled look plagued Harry’s face as he watched you go.

On your way there, you could’ve sworn Harry had said something along the lines of, “Oh do shut up Merlin.” But maybe your nerves were just getting to you.

As you closed the bathroom door you sighed in relief. You went over to the mirror and examined how pink your face had gotten. You groaned, covering your face with your hands, feeling how warm it had become. “Dammit,” You sighed looking at the mirror.

\--------

A few minutes had gone by when you heard a timid knock at the bathroom door, snapping you back into reality. The reality where Harry was out there and not carrying you off into the sunset. 

A concerned voice spoke against the door, “Are you alright in there y/n? You left quite abruptly.” 

_Yeah because of your stupid handsome face,_ you thought.

“I’m alright Harry. I think I might have had a bad lunch, but I’m feeling a bit better now.” You flushed one of the toilets and went to wash your hands to make your alibi seem more believable. You hastily dried them and exited the bathroom, not bothering to look up. 

This ended up with you bumping straight into Harry’s warm chest. You almost yelped in surprise. Horrified and embarrassed, you instantly reeled backward. 

“Oh god, sorry Harry I didn’t see you there.” You said, taking a step further back into the room, avoiding his gaze. 

“My apologies y/n I shouldn’t have stood so close to the door.” He looked at you apologetically and took a small step forward. You froze, not knowing why he was moving closer. But all he did was extend his hand. _What_. He continued to stare at you expectantly. _Oh, shit a handshake._ You wiped your sweaty palm on your shirt and shook his much larger hand. 

“I best be leaving now, as much as I’d like to stay here wit– _in_ the warmth of the shop, it looks to me that the rain has stopped and I’d hate to be a bother, it seemed like you were just about to close.”

You glanced at the window and saw that he was right, the rain had surprisingly stopped. You turned your back to him and walked towards the door.

“Alright then Mr. Hart, I wish you a pleasant evening and I hope you come back soon.” _He’s probably not going to come back after what happened,_ you thought. 

He followed you to the door and reclaimed his umbrella, “I will certainly be coming back soon y/n, your coffee was divine. It was nice meeting you. And please, I liked it better when you called me Harry.” He smiled at you again making your stomach flutter. 

“It was nice meeting you too _Harry,_ see you soon.” 

He lingered for just a few more agonizing moments. _Please just leave already,_ you thought. And with that he gave you a nod and exited the shop, the bell chimed once again. 

You let out an exasperated breath, finally free from embarrassment. You watched him disappear around the corner through the window. And as much as you wanted to push the thought down; you couldn’t help but think about what it would be like if Harry hadn’t moved away when you bumped into him, and instead, had pinned you right up against the wall. 

You closed your eyes as you imagined his hot breath against your skin. His hands roaming around your back as he kissed you slow at first, and then hungrily, desperate to taste more of you. His body so close you could feel his arousal poking against your...

You yelped. _Nope nope nope none of that_ you thought. You waved your hand frantically to cool your face. _Yup enough of that, I’m going home._

You immediately went to tidy up the shop. You turned off the lights, grabbed a sandwich and your bag. Once you were out the door, the cold December air immediately hit your face. Breathing in the chilly air, you locked the door and headed to the train station. 

On the ride home, you couldn’t shake the thought of your new handsome customer. 

_I hope he does come back,_ you thought.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I decided that Eggsy and Roxy would still be Kingsman agents in this au, so I wrote in an OC as the reader's friend. :]

The cafe was feeling rather cozy this particular morning. Around the shop, small groups of people, friends perhaps, or even coworkers were chatting among themselves as ambient music quietly filled the room. In one of the corners sat a college student, transfixed on her laptop with piles of books surrounding her. Settled near the window was a couple, hands intertwined, holding onto their warm drinks. All of them were wrapped up in coats and fuzzy sweaters, protecting them from the hell of winter. 

You turned around, focusing your attention on your friend Andrew. He was sitting cross-legged on top of the counter attentively drying a coffee mug. 

You smirked, “Melissa is going to kill you if she sees you like that.” Andrew rolled his eyes but jumped down from his perch.

He set the mug down, quietly tapping his finger on the counter he looked at you, “So… y/n, you were alone yesterday, right? Did anything interesting happen? Hmm?” He wiggled his blonde eyebrows. Great, now you were thinking about Harry again.

“Uh”, you stammered, “nothing much actually, there were only a few customers. None of them were particularly interesting.” 

He didn’t seem convinced, “Oh really y/n? Seems like you’re hiding something.” 

“Well,” you began, embarrassed that you were going to admit this.

“There was this one gentleman...”

“And?” 

You stared at the floor, “He was quite well dressed, he was wearing a suit actually, said he was a tailor. He was also really tall, like six feet or something. He was very polite and it had been raining outside so when he came in he looked–” 

“Hot?” 

“Andrew!” That wasn’t necessarily the word you were searching for but you didn’t deny his suggestion. 

“He was, wasn’t he?” 

Your face became ever so slightly a shade of pink, you slowly nodded. 

Andrew cackled evilly, “You think he’s hot!” He announced it rather too loudly for your taste, some of the cafe-goers had looked up from their tables. 

You shoved a hand on his mouth, “Quiet down won’t you Andy? Everyone can hear you.” 

He yanked your hand away, “So, did you get his number?” 

You laughed sarcastically at the thought, “Of course not, I just met him.” 

“You met a hot guy and you didn’t get his number? If I were you I would’ve already planned out our first date.”  _ Well, it’s easier said than done,  _ you thought.

“It’s not like that, he’s uh, he’s much older than me.” 

His eyes widened in amusement, “So? Who cares?”

He had a point. Harry looked breathtaking for whatever age he was. How old he could be, 45? 50?

You shrugged, “It doesn’t matter, he wouldn’t be interested.” 

Andrew crossed his arms, “Did you at least get his name?” 

_ Of course, I did. It’s been on repeat in my head for the past 24 hours _ . 

“Yeah, his name’s Harry, Harry Hart.” 

You expected him to add another sly remark, but Andrew’s attention had drifted elsewhere, mouth slightly agape. That elsewhere being something behind you. All this talk had distracted you from noticing the ding-a-ling of the store bell and the shuffling of well-polished shoes.

“Sorry, did you say my name?” You turned around so fast it made you dizzy. 

There standing in front of the cashier Harry, the man you had just admitted your embarrassing attraction to moments ago. He was wearing a suit similar to the one yesterday and his hair was neatly brushed down. In summary, he still looked absolutely gorgeous. You resisted the urge to swoon.

The corners of his mouth every so slightly quirked up. “Y/n! It’s nice to see you again. Not that...that I had to see you. I would be completely fine being served by any one of your kind coworkers.” He glanced at Andrew, who had inched his way over to the other side of the counter. 

The sight of Harry reduced you to the same state you were in the previous day, an awkward flustered mess. You could get lost in those entrancing eyes all over again. He scratched the back of his neck, “I heard you say my name, were you speaking about me?” 

You shot a glance at Andrew. All he did was grin and leave to clean up a table.  _ Bastard. _

“Ah yes, my friend Andrew likes to challenge me to remember all the names of the people I served in a day, I uh, happened to remember yours.” You were impressed with your ability to come up with half-assed excuses.

“I see, sounds like a fun game, great for the memory.” Harry bought it, or at least he seemed to.

“Sure is.” This time you remembered that you had a job, “So Harry, would you like another medium latte in a cup to go?” 

Harry beamed at you, that smile never failed to make your heart flutter. “You remembered.” 

The words ‘of course I did’ almost escaped your mouth, but you only smiled in return, stealing a look at him. After he quietly paid, he asked you to keep the change and went to take a seat. You noticed how he chose a spot far from the commotion of the shop, the few tables around him being empty. 

You grabbed a cup and wrote his name. You paused, drew a heart, and shoved the cup under the espresso machine before you could have any second thoughts. While you were retrieving the milk you spotted Andrew coming back to the counter, he saw you and immediately tried to turn back. 

“Andy,” you whispered, “Andrew! I see you, come here.” He slowly trudged over to where you were standing.

“You are the worst. You left me out there to  _ die _ of embarrassment.” You tried not to speak too loud in fear of Harry overhearing you.

His guilty expression quickly diminished, “You should be thanking me, I gave you some precious alone time with your new boyfriend.” He smirked and silently turned off the espresso machine which was about to overflow. 

_ The audacity.  _ “Well it wasn't a very eventful conversation and he is _ not _ my boyfriend. I told you, we met yesterday.” You part whispered, part shouted. As much as you wanted to live in the Loo Loo land Andrew had dreamt up where you and Harry were together, you were sadly stuck with longing glances and pitiful daydreams.

“Well, why is he staring at you then?” Your friend briefly gestured to your right.

You looked at him in disbelief and slowly shifted your eyes towards Harry, trying not to move your head. You were sure Andrew was just teasing you. But he was right, Harry was staring at you, and better yet he was… smiling. 

You looked away before Harry could notice you were staring back. 

“See?” He leaned against the counter, ignoring the sound of a woman yelling out his name from the kitchen. You groaned running your hands over your flushed face. _That couldn’t have been real, could it? He must’ve just been wondering where his coffee was._ “I– I better finish this drink.” You grabbed the cup of espresso and heated the milk. Andrew was still intently looking at you.

“You know… we do have that music night tomorrow. Maybe, you could ask him to come?” 

You placed the lid on the cup and glared at Andrew, “Maybe.” You left to give the drink to Harry, ending the conversation.

Harry was startled when you said his name, you giggled at how cute he looked when he was surprised, but then you realized you shouldn't be giggling and forced it down with a cough. You hoped Harry didn’t notice. You made sure to let go of the cup before Harry reached for the drink, it was for your own sanity. Harry thanked you for the coffee and complimented your brew just as before. He even smiled a little when he saw his name, his dimples were excruciatingly cute.

You found this to be the perfect opportunity to apologize yet again. “By the way Harry, I’m truly sorry about running off on you yesterday, my...uh, my stomach was quite upset.” You really were still rolling with that excuse.

“It’s quite alright y/n you shouldn’t be apologizing for your inner stirrings.” He gave you a reassuring smile and took another sip of the coffee. 

An awkward silence followed, you struggled to find any words to say. As much as you liked Harry looking at you; it certainly did not help you think straight. “You know, I didn’t think you would come back.” You mentally facepalmed, why did you even attempt small talk. Was this your way of flirting? Or just a way of embarrassing yourself by revealing too much information?

He looked at you puzzled, “I did tell you I would, didn’t I? I don’t believe it’s proper manners to break a promise. It’s not at all a hassle to get here, my place of work is just around the corner.” He must work at the Kingsman Tailor shop then; it was the only shop of its kind in this area. Maybe you could force Andrew to get a suit fitting there, it would definitely be for Andrew, not you. 

Harry was still looking at you,  _ does he know that I notice how much he looks at me? _

You felt the need to say something but you couldn’t remember what it was. The butterflies in your stomach were having their own little disco party. It was as if his gaze was holding you, hostage, you just couldn’t seem to move– 

The store bell chimed as a cold rush of air filled the room. Harry broke eye contact to look at the incoming customer, releasing his hold on you. 

You were finally able to speak coherent words, “I uh better get that.” It sounded more like a question than a statement. You slowly inched backward.

Harry nodded, “Thanks again y/n.” 

And with those parting words, you left. Turns out the customer just wanted directions. When she exited the shop you glanced at Harry, he was looking out of the window drinking his coffee, this gave you a chance to blatantly stare at him. You drank up the sight of him, he looked even more stunning in the daylight. If he would continue to come here looking like that daily, looking at  _ you _ like that daily; you would probably have to change professions, or just die. 

A voice came from behind you startling you, “Did you tell him?”

You furrowed your brows and turned to look at Andrew, “Tell who, what?”

“Tell Harry about tomorrow night?”

Shit, all that awkward silence and staring made you forget. Instead of answering his question, you walked towards the stockroom. “I just remembered, I have to unpack some supplies.” You were not prepared to face Harry again.

“Oh c’mon y/n it’s not even a dat–”

You cut him off with the slam of the door.

\--------

To your disappointment, you actually did have to unpack supplies you had forgotten to unpack yesterday. After about fifteen minutes you returned to the far less stuffy shop. You scanned the room for Harry, but he had already gone. You sighed, slumping against the counter.

From the corner of your eye, you spotted Andrew– smiling like a goddamn idiot.

You eyed him suspiciously, “What did you do?” 

He shrugged, “Well, I might have just told Harry myself before he had to go, and…” He paused waiting for you to ask.

“Ugh, and what Andy.”

He grinned, “When I mentioned you’d be working that shift he instantly lit up. He was  _ very _ keen to come tomorrow” Andrew lightly nudged your arm.

And there it was, that stupid blush again. “Oh.”

“Yup.”

You pushed past Andrew, not wanting him to see your flushed cheeks. _ He could be exaggerating,  _ you thought. But you couldn’t help but feel a little bit of hope.

Something on the counter caught your eye, you picked it up; it was still full. “Uh Andy, did any other customers come in? I think someone left their drink here.” You looked over to your friend, he was still grinning.

“What?”

“Harry bought that, he insisted on writing the name himself.”

You looked at the cup you were holding and then to Andrew. “That doesn’t make any sense, why is it here.”

Andrew’s smile grew even more, he gestured to the cup, “Turn it around, it’s your favorite.

And so you did, revealing the writing on the cup. It was your name in what must’ve been Harry’s writing. With a little heart drawn next to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sips iced coffee at 3 in the morning while crying about the last line


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare for cheesy love songs because I've got no shame >:)
> 
> I split this chapter into two because I need a breather :")
> 
> Also thank you so much to all of you who left a kudos <3

The mellow sound of acoustic instruments washed over the room, the cafe was now moderately packed with regulars and people who had just happened to pass by. Instead of coffee, they were relishing warm cups of tea and hot cocoa, some were even swaying to the music. You usually enjoyed these music nights, but tonight you were slightly on edge. The band had started playing at 7:30 pm, it was now 8:20 and Harry had still not shown up.

You were seated on a high chair opposite the counter, gazing out of the window, all you could see was the dark silhouettes of the buildings across the street and the occasional flicker of headlights. “I guess he’s not coming after all.” 

You were disappointed, already accepting that Harry had better things to do. You just hoped he would continue to be a regular at the cafe.

“He’s probably just running late, I bet he’ll arrive any minute now,” Andrew said, in a much too cheerful tone. 

You huffed and focused your attention on the band, they were playing their rendition of the song ‘From Eden.’ 

_Honey, you're familiar like my mirror years ago_

_Idealism sits prison, chivalry fell on its sword_

_Innocence died screaming, honey ask me I should know_

_I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door_

You sighed, at least the music was nice. _Can Harry sing?_ Once the band was done with the song, they took a 5-minute break and the volume of the customer’s voices returned to normal. Andrew was now sitting in a chair next to you. 

“Did you see anyone come in?” 

He frowned and shook his head, “No sorry.”

You looked outside the window, the light of the shop dimly lit up the sidewalk outside. The sun had set a few hours ago, it was bound to be freezing too. You soon grew tired of looking before something caught your eye, a figure was walking towards the shop.

The door opened and the figure stepped into the warm light of the cafe. You gulped, a smile made its way onto your lips. It was Harry. He was wearing a light grey suit and a black trenchcoat; you guessed even his suit wasn’t warm enough to brave the freezing streets of London. His hair was rather fluffy this evening, either because of the lack of hair gel or the cold weather. Nonetheless, you had an undying urge to run your hair through it. 

Harry placed his coat on the coat rack and made his way to the currently empty front counter.

You lightly pushed Andrew beckoning him to get off his chair, “Go get his order,” you whispered.

He raised a brow, “Don’t you want to do it?”

You shot a glance at Harry, _shit._ “No– nope, I can’t this time I just– please.” A blush was already forming on your face, this particular suit looked so fucking good on him. You needed time to collect yourself. It didn’t matter that he was late, he actually came. 

You eyed your friend until he sighed and went off to serve Harry. You quietly got up from your chair and proceeded to “clean” the counter, distancing yourself so that you were in close enough proximity to overhear them. Harry luckily didn’t notice you were also just staring at him.

He gave Andrew a small smile, “Good Evening Andrew.”

“Good evening Harry, glad to see that you came. Y/n was beginning to worry that you wouldn’t show up.” You grimaced, regretting asking Andrew to serve him, you should’ve known he was going to embarrass you.

“Oh, she was?” Harry glanced at you smiling, you gave a timid smile in return and you quickly looked back down at the rag, face heating up yet again. _Why is Andrew exposing me like this?_ You wiped the counter rather aggressively. 

“So what would you like to drink tonight?” Andrew continued. You looked back up at Harry, sure that he wasn’t looking at you anymore, god, he was virtually perfect.

“Hm, perhaps a calming tea? Do you have chamomile?” You saw Andrew nod his head and work the register. Harry silently paid.

“You said you wanted a calming tea, is something making you nervous sir?” A puzzled look plagued Harry’s face. “Or perhaps… someone?” 

_Jesus christ Andrew._

“Well– I– uh.” 

Harry rarely stammered. He glanced over to you; your eyes met and you could’ve sworn you saw a tint of red on his face. You looked away completely mortified. 

Andrew was certainly smiling, “Your tea will be ready soon Harry, enjoy the music.” Andrew then walked towards you; over his shoulder, you saw Harry take a seat at a table near the stage.

If the circumstances were different, you would’ve slapped the rag right across his face, “What the hell is wrong with you?” 

He retrieved a teabag from the cupboard, “What do you mean? I was just helping you.”

“I don’t think embarrassing Harry _and_ me is considered ‘helping’.” 

You followed Andrew around as he prepared the hot water and tea. He was still smirking, “Okay, okay, I’m sorry.” 

You huffed and leaned against the counter, staring at Harry again. He was looking at the band playing an instrumental while rapidly tapping the side of his glasses, how odd. Andrew finished making the tea and handed it to you, “Give this to him.” You glanced down at the cup. 

“Why?” He grabbed your hand and forced it onto the cup. “So you can talk to him.” Andrew practically pushed you in Harry’s direction. “Have fun!” You rolled your eyes and walked to Harry. Mentally preparing yourself for disaster.

Harry looked up at you and smiled, “Hello y/n.”

“Hi, Harry.” You stood there looking at him for a moment, then you realized your main purpose of coming here.

“Oh, here’s your tea Harry.” You placed it down on the table.

“Thank you.” He still gave you a warm smile even though you weren’t the one who made it.

You stood there as he took a sip of the tea and removed his glasses, setting them on the table.

Your brain decided this was the perfect time to make a self-deprecating joke.“Are you taking those off so you don’t have to see how hideous I look?” You had to admit, your hair was quite unruly given that you had worked a whole day shift.

Harry’s eyes widened in horror. “No! No– absolutely not y/n I can see fine without these glasses. And you– you look beautiful.”He had said the last part so quietly but yet so loud and clear. You had expected him to play along with the joke, 'you look beautiful' was something you never expected to come out of Harry’s mouth. 

“Oh, thank you.” Harry’s compliment wasn’t helping you deal with your disastrous attraction to him. 

It felt like forever before he spoke again. “Would you–” he looked up at you, “would you like to sit down?” 

You perked up, the beginnings of a smile crept up your face. _What is actually happening right now?_

“Yeah, okay.” You took a seat on the chair opposite him, your hands were a little shaky and you felt like your heart was going to burst out of your chest. As you sat, you caught a scent of leather, saffron, and jasmine; it smelled both smoky and sweet. Then the realization hit you, Harry was wearing cologne. He hadn’t been wearing cologne before or at least aftershave that was this fragrant. You wondered why.

The table was small, so you were sitting only a few feet apart, which made you extremely conscious of where you placed your hands. 

“I– uh, I just wanted to say thank you for the drink you bought me, Harry. That was really kind of you.” You continued to stare at his hands on the cup of tea, trying not to blush again. You briefly remembered the previous day when you were banging your head against the counter because of that stupid, cute, heart Harry had drawn on the drink he bought you.

He smiled, cheeks dimpling. “Hope you liked it,” he said softly. His other hand was only inches away from one of your own, your heart fluttered. 

“Yeah, I did.” He continued to stare at you. He really does stares at you an awful lot, you wish you knew why. Harry looked towards the band who had started to play the beginnings of a song. The mellow sound of the singer’s voice filled the room.

_Say, wasn’t that a funny day?_

_Gee, you had a funny way, a way about you_

_A kind of glow of something new_

You crossed your arms on the table, taking this chance to gaze at Harry. He still hadn’t told you why he had asked you to sit down, was he going to say something? Or was he just being nice again? 

_Sure I’ll admit that I’m the same_

_Another sucker for a game kids like to play_

_And the rules they like to use_

“Harry.” 

“Hm?” He looked back at you, his eyes seemed to sparkle in the light, slightly creasing at the sides.

_Don’t you want the way I feel?_

_Don’t you want the way I feel?_

_Don’t you want the way I feel for you?_

You closed your eyes as the lyrics echoed through your mind, it was like the music was taunting you. _For fuck’s sake._ You abruptly stood up from your chair, making Harry flinch. He looked up at you and furrowed his brows, “Y/n?”

You couldn’t stand to hear these mushy love songs anymore, they blurred the bridge between fantasy and reality. 

“I’m going to go outside. I need some air,” you gestured to the door but didn’t move.

Harry ran his hand through his hair and put his glasses back on, rising from his seat, “Would you mind if I joined you?”

 _Okay, so that wasn’t the plan._ You tried to not speak too eagerly, “No, not at all.” You said, holding back a smile.

You made your way towards the exit, but Harry easily overtook you with his freakishly long legs and opened the door for you, retrieving his coat from the rack.

“A true gentleman,” you said, stepping outside. You heard a small laugh escape his lips behind you, the sound made your heart melt. You could listen to Harry laugh all day.

You were leaning against the wall beside the shop, Harry stood next to you a few feet away. A couple of minutes of silence had gone by as you gradually became more aware of the freezing temperatures outside and the fact that you had forgotten to get your coat on the way out. Possibly because of Harry’s cute yet distracting laugh. You shivered, rubbing your shoulders for warmth. 

You looked up at Harry who was admiring the sky, “It's clear out tonight, you can see the stars.” His face was dimly lit up by the light of the shop, his eyes sparkled like the stars up above.

You admired the sky with him, still shivering, “Yeah, it’s pretty nice.” You weren't entirely focusing as you continued to rub yourself for warmth, starting to regret coming out here. It was cold and the fact that Harry was standing so close to you made the knots in your stomach tighten.

“Are you alright?” You glanced up at Harry looking at you, a worried yet amused look was plastered on his face.

You looked back down, “Yeah, it’s just so fucking cold.” You winced, not meaning to swear, you weren’t sure if Harry was the type of guy to curse. You heard the rustling of fabric beside you and looked to him again. He was taking off his overcoat.

“Here.” He motioned to put it on you and you weakly deflected it with your hands. “No– no Harry, it’s okay.” The coat looked so inviting, but you didn’t want Harry to freeze to death too.

He ignored you and proceeded to wrap the coat around your shoulders. His hands occasionally brushed against your sweater, sparking warm and fuzzy sensations inside you. The coat was much bigger than you and wrapped around you like a blanket; it felt so cozy and warm. It even smelt like Harry. A blush crept up your already rosy face.

Harry lightly patted your back, “There, is that warm enough?” 

You smiled, nodding, “Yes, thank you, Harry.”

He hummed and let go of your back. He was right beside you now, only inches away. It would only take one movement to clasp his warm hand in your own.

The sound of the store door slamming filled the air, followed by loud chatter, people were starting to leave; you would have to close up the shop soon.

Once they were out of sight, Harry broke the silence, “Y/n?” He had shifted his body to face you.

You turned, focusing on the taller man. “Yeah?”

“I have a confession.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry but at the same time I'm not 
> 
> (*cough HOZIER *cough)
> 
> The other song is Don't You by Darren Criss, yeah I know it's old but it FITS so yeah.
> 
> The next chapter will hopefully be on schedule :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think you readers will be  
> v e r y happy with this chapter :>

You bit your lip, “Go on.” 

“I didn’t exactly come here today for the music.”

You froze in place, _this isn’t happening, this can’t possibly be happening._ You stared at Harry not knowing what to say, scared that you had misinterpreted it, and then–

“I came here for you y/n.” Harry smiled. “I only come to this cafe to see you.” 

“Oh. _Oh._ ” You breathed out, not knowing you had been holding your breath.

“I like you y/n and I– I’d like to go out with you sometime.” He took a step closer, eager for your answer.

You just proceeded to stare at him like an idiot, your brain simply wasn’t able to comprehend this newfound information. _Say something goddammit._

You took a deep breath in, fumbling with his coat, “I feel the same way, Harry.” 

Harry’s underlying tension vanished and his rosy face became a shade darker.” You do?” he said, his mouth cracking into a smile.

You groaned, confused why Harry would ever be surprised, “Of course I do! I mean look at you.” You took a minute to slowly look him up and down. It was a crime for him to look so good in that suit of his.

Your eyes rested back on his face, his smile almost made him glow. “I knew I found you attractive from the moment you came in, I just didn’t make a move because I didn’t think you’d ever be interested.”

Harry shook his head and moved a step closer to you, barely leaving any space between you. “Of course I am, that’s the real reason I bought you that drink.” 

You really need to get better at telling the difference between being nice and flirting, warmth spread into your face.

“Do you draw hearts on all your customers' cups?” 

You let out a nervous laugh, partly because he was so close to you, “No, I only did it for you.” Your eyes locked. He smiled again making your heart skip a beat. Harry slowly pushed a strand of your hair aside; you closed your eyes and leaned into his touch.

“I meant it when I said that you’re beautiful."

You opened your eyes again as Harry leaned in closer, so close you could feel his warm breath against your face. 

Harry licked his lips, making you instinctively do so yourself. “Y/n,” he leaned in even closer, “can I kiss you?”

If this was a dream you never wanted to wake up. Your breathing slowed as you looked up at him, “Yeah.”

Without a second thought, his lips were on yours. You pulled him in closer, losing yourself in the tender kiss. For a moment everything else melted away, until it was just you, drowning in the taste of Harry.

When Harry finally pulled away you were afraid that the spell had been broken; that none of it had ever been real.

But when you opened your eyes, Harry was still there; tenderly holding onto your waist gently, as if it might break. His face was flushed– lips were red from the kiss. He looked slightly different to the Harry you had met a few days ago, the creases near his eyebrows had disappeared and his features had softened, he almost looked younger. And that damn look he gave you, that little smile– was enough to kill you. 

You placed your face on his shoulder groaning, the weight of what just happened settling in. 

“Y/n?” You felt a hand on your back.

The banging of the store door filled the air again, followed by quiet chatter. People were clearing out, the music must have ended. You imagined how ridiculous you looked, standing here; face pressed up against Harry’s shoulder, wearing his oversized coat– but you didn’t care to move.

Your voice was muffled as you spoke, “I can’t believe that just happened.”

You felt his chest shudder against you as a small laugh escaped his lips. You smiled, pulling away to look at a grinning Harry. Strands of his hair were slightly astray, god that was cute. 

Your intense staring contest was interrupted by the loud knocking of glass, you turned around to see Andrew frantically knocking at the glass and pointing at his watch. He then stopped, noticing the look on your and Harry’s faces– eyes widening. You saw him laugh and leave the window.

You turned back to Harry embarrassed, “I think Andy and I have to close up shop soon.” You would love to stay with Harry for longer, but you felt bad for your friend who was left to clean up.

Harry nodded in response and eased his hold on your waist, “Would Tuesday night be good? I could book us a movie.”

“What?”

“Our date?” He stepped back a bit, hands falling from your waist, “Unless you’re not–”

“Oh no! I am still interested in Harry, Tuesday night would be great.” You smiled, slightly horrified that you had worried Harry.

He smiled in return, taking a step back to you again, “So, I’ll pick you up at 5?” 

You nodded. You weren’t sure what to do next, kiss him? Hug him? Say goodbye? Shake his hand? _Oh, wait–_ You shoved Harry’s coat off, shuddering from the loss of warmth.

“Here Harry I have my own in the shop, thank you.” He took it from you and rested it on his arm.

“See you soon y/n.” 

“See you, Harry.” 

You forced yourself to look away from him and walked towards the door, holding in your urge to scream.

You were halfway through the door when– 

“Y/n.”

You turned around–

“I don’t actually know where you live yet,” Harry chuckled, “do you mind giving me your number?” He handed you his phone; fogged up from the cold.

 _Wow y/n, wow._ “Oh yeah sure.” You took the phone from him and entered your phone number, hands still a little shaky, and handed it back to him. 

He smiled, “I’ll be sure to text you okay?”

You nodded. “Okay.”

He pulled his coat back on, “See you y/n.”

“See you, Harry.”

You were the first to break eye contact and went back into the shop. Once the door closed behind you, you instantly pressed your face against the wall and let out a muffled scream.

\--------

“ _See?_ I was right all along.”

You rolled your eyes for the fifth time after telling Andrew what had happened. “Shut up Andy,” You tried to hold back a smile. 

The band had left a few minutes ago. You and Andrew had just finished tidying up the shop and were now heading out, this time you remembered to grab your coat. You regretted blurting out that Harry had kissed you to Andrew because for the duration of your clean-up– all he could talk about was how he was always right, and well, for once he was.

You and Andrew were now standing outside of the shop. “Do you want to carpool in my taxi? We could do two stops.” 

“Nah it’s okay I got it.” You were already in the process of booking an uber when Andrew tapped your shoulder and pointed to something next to you.

You looked at him, “What?”

“Hello, again.” 

“Harry?” you turned to him, “I– uh, I thought you left?”

He took a step closer, “Already tired of me?”

“Well no that’s not it– of course not.” 

Harry leaned in closer, “Well that’s good to hear.” His face was a few inches away from yours–

“Get a room you two,” Andrew sighed from behind you. Harry glanced at Andrew smirking and instantly straightened up, clearing his throat. 

“I was on my way to leave, but I thought you might need a ride home.” 

His offer was tempting but– you looked at your phone, your driver had canceled. _The stars have finally aligned in my favor._

You beamed at Harry, “I don’t have a ride home, no. Thank you, Harry.” He smiled in return. You heard Andrew snicker behind you and you elbowed him in the side.

The sound of a car engine flooded your ears, Andrew’s voice followed, “That’s mine, bye y/n, bye Harry.” 

You shot a glance at Andrew, “Bye.” 

Your eyes returned to Harry, his goodbye followed and Andrew got in the cab, the headlights illuminated the sidewalk.

Shall we?” he held out his arm to you.

You gladly took his arm in yours, “Lead the way.”

The walk wasn’t long, his car was parked fairly near to the shop. But you took this as an opportunity to lean into Harry as you walked, soaking in his warmth. 

“I like your cologne.” 

He glanced at you, “I actually rarely use cologne, I only did tonight to impress you.” 

“Oh,” your face began to warm up again.

You both stopped at a black Mercedes Benz. “This is it.” 

He opened the side door for you then walked to the other side of the car, “Now let’s get you home before we get fucking hyperthermia.” 

You laughed, taking a seat and closing the door. So Harry _did_ curse, you had been self-conscious about cursing a while ago for nothing. It was also kinda hot when he did it.

Once you gave Harry your address you both drove off. You sat there in comfortable silence, in the first five minutes you would occasionally look at him and he would look at you. Although you had many things to talk about, none of you chose to break the silence. You instead gazed at the dark road ahead in deep thought; when you arrived would you invite him in? And then what? You really hadn’t been anticipating this turn of events. You still were trying to wrap your head around that kiss. And even worse, you were beginning to get drowsy, the long day must've worn you down...

 _Okay_ , so dozing off in the car wasn’t your initial plan– for the rest of the car ride, you drifted from states of sleep and being half awake, Harry hadn’t tried to wake you up, or maybe he did and you hadn’t heard him. At one point you had felt Harry’s hand holding your own, but you weren’t sure if that had been a product of a dream or reality. 

You were still half asleep when the car came to a halt. 

“Y/n, I think we’re here.” 

“Y/n?” 

The muffled sound of Harry’s side door followed, then later the louder sound of your door opening. “Y/n?” 

Nothing.

“I’m too bloody old for this.”

Two strong arms slowly scooped you from the chair. A gust of cold air hit you, waking you up a bit. You snuggled closer into Harry’s chest. After a few grunts and some footsteps, the movement came to a halt.

You felt Harry crouch down and heard the rustling of what could’ve been your bag, then came the clinking of metal. The sound of the lock whispered through the air. You were close to fully awake now but you didn’t open your eyes. First, there was the slamming of the door, then the shuffling of shoes and feet followed as he carried you up the stairs.

Soft pillows and sheets encased you. You felt a kiss on your forehead, “Good night y/n.”

But now you were fully awake, you opened your eyes and sat up, “Harry?” 

Harry turned around from the doorframe, the moonlight cast a shadow on his face, “Hm?”

You thought for a moment, hesitant. “You could stay here if you want.” It came out sounding more like a question. You were nervous, you didn’t actually know where you were going with this.

Harry stayed in place, “I wouldn’t want to– I–” He looked at you patting the space next to you. Your intentions were honestly innocent, well, for now.

Harry stood there for a moment contemplating, then he slowly took off his glasses and layers, placing them onto the side drawer, you took note of the fact that he didn’t take off his shirt. _Play it cool y/n. You’re just going to simply sleep in the same bed as Harry. Right next to him. Nothing will happen because– well– we’re not there yet– are we?_

Harry’s silhouette now stood at the other side of the bed, “I would have to leave early in the morning tomorrow.”

You looked at him and smiled, “That’s fine.” _Oh god oh god oh god._

Harry finally climbed into the bed and got under the covers, a few inches away from you. He adjusted himself to face the ceiling. A few minutes went by as the sound of both of your breathing filled the room, your eyelids began to grow heavy again. 

You glanced at Harry and then turned on your side, positioning yourself in a half fetal position. You reached behind you, searching for Harry's arm. There was a shuffling of sheets and then Harry’s warm body was spooning you from behind; his arm wrapped around your waist as he laid his head just above the crook of your neck. His body enveloped you perfectly, managing to wrap around your backside like a cozy second blanket.

“Is this okay? I’m not exactly the most experienced at this.” He lifted his head to look at you.

You nodded. “Much better than that coat you gave me.”

He hummed and laid his head back down behind yours. “Good night y/n.” 

You couldn’t help but smile. “Good night Harry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh? I wonder what this could lead to...


End file.
